Toys And Exercise

Spring pole

This is a hanging pole made for tugging and swinging. Great entertainment for dogs by themselves. It really works for pit bulls whose jaw muscles are incredibly strong.

But many other muscle groups are used as well so it can be quite strenuous. For safety reasons, back legs should be able to touch the ground at all times.

Kongs

These strong rubber toys are great and come in different sizes and shapes. I fill them with peanut butter, soft dog food, biscuit treats etc. Putting them in the freezer will make getting the food even harder and more challenging and often tires the dog easily. A great item for crate-trained dogs.

Bones

Bones are great for pits. They are very strong and once the marrow is all licked out, pits will spend hours biting on the bones themselves. Once they are hollowed out, you can tie them to the back of a crate and fill them with peanut butter to entertain the restrained dog. Strong bones (such as Nylabone and Dentabones) are also great for pits.

Rawhides

Great, but plan on getting a big one. Most dogs love rawhides, but pit bulls mixed with doberman go through them fairly quick. The exercise of their jaws works really well for them (and it cleans their teeth too!).

Treadmills

This may not seem like a toy, but pits seem to love it. Many people associate this with dogs being conditioned as fighting dogs, but I think that it shouldn’t have to be. If you live a fairly sedentary lifestyle or at certain times cannot exercise a young pit bull, why not use a treadmill if you have one? Definitely monitor your dog and never force him/her to do it. Many people erect sides to the treadmill so the dog cannot fall off, and often a loose lead is connected to the front to keep the dog moving.

Many pits seem to enjoy this type of running if they cannot get out in the real world, because of serious dog aggression or little socialization.

Pulling you on a… ?

This is tons of fun! I have done it myself. Use a skateboard, a sled, rollerblades, a bike, wagon, scooter, whatever. Get a harness (a must – never use a neck collar only) and pad it in the chest area (not needed but it seems more comfortable for them). Hook on a leash or rope and off you go.

Pits love to run and in an open area, they will let loose. It’s the best of everything to a pit bull. Running all out, being with you, exercising by being strong, and being outside. This activity can also lead to a serious competitive involvement in weight-pulling competitions.

Rope toys

These are fun for games of tug-of-war with you or other dogs. However, once the rope begins to fray, it’s time to replace the toy. Pieces of string can cause intestinal problems.